While I accomplished so much academically, we also had a fantastic time living “La Pura Vida.” I got to do a nighttime rainforest hike where we spotted numerous amphibians, sloths, snakes, and insects. I got to visit a monkey research center where they were evaluating monkeys’ capabilities to solve certain puzzles for a food reward. I got to visit an active volcano and smell the natural fragrance of the sulfur of the Earth. And among other adventures we got to see the beautiful landscapes of Costa Rica.
If you asked me a year ago if I was going to study abroad, I would have said no way, as it’s too expensive and I don’t want to miss a semester in East Lansing. However, studying abroad for two weeks in Costa Rica is definitely one of the best decisions I have ever made. The scholarships I received from MSU helped me immensely in pursuing my dream, and now I have memories I will never forget. If you are on the edge of studying abroad, from worrying about workload to not wanting to miss anything on campus, I would definitely recommend studying abroad for a few weeks in the summer. While we had times where we had to sit down and get work done, most of the experience was spent exploring the country, learning the culture, eating the local food,
This program was a biosystems engineering program, and even though I am a mechanical engineer, I learned so much and returned with so much insight and knowledge that I can use to propel me to success in my professional career. I am forever grateful for this study abroad experience, and if you find yourself unsure of if you want to study abroad or not, I say do it, as you will make friends and memories for a lifetime.
Name: Paddy Toole
Status: Senior
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Elmhurst, Illinois
Program: Ecological Engineering in the Tropics